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By CARRI GRAHAM
BARNESVILLE -- For more than a decade Carissa Allen, physician assistant at WVU Medicine Barnesville Hospital, has worked to provide excellent care for her patients in her hometown.
Allen provides primary care to patients of all ages, managing chronic and acute illnesses on a daily basis. At just 35 years old, she has been with the hospital for 10 1/2 years.
She said when she first started practicing medicine, a preceptor told her to "never stop learning," advice that she continues to heed.
"This is something I try to remember and live by every day. The medical field is always changing, and I try to stay up to date on as much as I can," she said.
Allen is a Barnesville native, a place she and her husband, Blake, continue to call home, along with the couple's three children -- 8-year-old Campbell, 7-year-old Carter, and 1-year-old Chandler. Being a part of the community was important for Blake.
"My husband and I are both from Barnesville. He is actually the head football coach at Barnesville High School," she said.
"Our goal has always been to come back to the valley. When we both had opportunities here, we immediately jumped on them. Being able to provide care to the members from the community that I grew up in is such a privilege and honor. I am so thankful for this daily."
Allen said the Ohio Valley has such a tight knit community, a quality she truly appreciates.
"I don't go through a single work day without a patient asking me about my kids, husband or how the football team is looking this year. I don't think I would get this type of experience anywhere else," she said.
Allen said her biggest struggle is being able to find a work-life balance. She said recently she has discovered that this is something that looks a bit different for everyone.
"There are times that I need to be more present at home and times when my mind is fully focused on work. These areas are not always separated with a dark line. Thankfully, my family is supportive and so is my workplace," she said.
Allen encourages those entering the workforce to never hesitate to ask for help.
"I feel strongly that the best health care is provided when I work with my supervising physicians and my coworkers to provide care," she added.
Though there appears to be a lack of primary care providers across the country, the physician assistant field is growing, she said.
"I am so thankful to be in a career that will help fill in that gap," she said.
In Allen's spare time, she is the third-grade Girl Scout leader in the community.